Lighter



Jan. 18, 1944.

[- Fl-o MA LIGHTER Filed April 27' 1942 A n W Patented Jam 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,339,325

will 2:313:31 ELL...

4 Claims.

The invention relates to cigaret lighters, and especially to lighters of the pyrophoric type.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a lighter of very simple construction which is nevertheless effective and satisfactory in operation.

A further object is to produce a a snufier which is automatically raised by operation of the lighter, yet which contains only a few simple parts.

Another object of the invention is to. provide a snufier assembly which is started in motion by the rotation of the flint wheel to ignite the wick and which thereafter moves under its own momentum independently of the flint wheel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a momentum operated snufferwith a weighted portion, the snufier being pivoted so as to be capable of swinging past its pivot to a position in which it is held open by the weight.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a lighter having a flint wheel and snufi'er pivoted on opposite sides of the wick with an operative connection therebetween to initiate lighter having upward movement of the snuifer when the flint wheel is turned.

A further object is to provide a structure of this type in which the snuffer carries means which frictionally engage the periphery of the flint wheel.

Still a further object is to produce a device of this type in which the flint wheel is rotated by direct engagement of the flnger therewith.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

In the drawing;

Fig. 1 is a cross section through a lighter embodying the invention on the line I-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the snuffer mounting member.

The lighter comprises a casing 2 which may be of any suitable size or shape. This casing forms a fuel chamber and is filled with absorptive material such as cotton 4'. It is closed at the bottom by a threaded plug 6. The top wall 8 supports a flint tube III in which is arranged a flint l2 urged upward by a spring H. A wick I6 is mounted in a wick tube l3 and extends downward into the cotton 4.

A plate 20 is mounted on top of the top wall. and the flint I2 and wick l3 extend upward through this plate. The plate is provided with upstanding ears 22 on opposite sides of the flint. Between these ears is mounted, on a shaft 24-. a flint wheel 26 having its periphery in engagement with the flint I2. This wheel has marginal flanges 21 of slightly greater diameter than the body of the wheel, these flanges being serrated or roughened. It will be noted that this flint wheel is exposed over a suflicient portion of its periphery to permit direct operation by the thumb of the user.

At the other end of plate 20, on the opposite side of the wick from the flint wheel, are upstanding ears 28. In these ears is pivoted a snufier holder of suitable type. The form shown by way of example is made of wire having transversely extending portions 30 engaged in holes in the ears to form a free pivot for the holder; longitudinally extending parts 32 arranged to grip a snufler therebetween; and a transverse portion 34 connecting the ends of parts 32. A snuffer 36 is mounted between parts 32 and held thereby in such a position as to cover the wick when swung to closing position. This snufier has on its top a ball 38 or other weight to increase the momentum of the snuifer assembly and to hold the snufier firmly in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, against any tendency to rebound when the lighter is in use.

It will be noted that the transverse portion 34 engages the periphery of the flint wheel 26 at its flanges 21.

The operation of this .mechanism is as follows: When the lighter is to be used, flint wheel 26 is turned by the thumb (counter-clockwise in Fig. 1) in a direction to throw sparks on the wick. The rotation of the wheel and the frictional engagement of transverse portion 34 of the snuiier holder imparts an upward force to the snufier holder. This force is sumcient to impart enough momentum to the holder to cause the snuffer to continue turning around its pivot until it is past the pivot and falls down through gravity to the broken line position, Fig. 1. Of course the sparks struckoif by the flint wheel ignite the wick during this operation.

The snuffer is returned by hand to its closed position to extinguish the flame, and is held in wick covering position by the frictional engagement of the holder with the flint wheel.

While I, have described herein one embodiment of my invention, 1 wish it to be understood and that I do not intend to limit myself thereby, except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a lighter, a wick, a flint and a flint wheel for projecting sparks onto said wick, a resilient snuilfer carrier, a snufler detachably mounted on said carrier, means pivotally mounting said carrier on the opposite side of the wick from the flint wheel for movement of said snuifer between a position covering the wick and a position uncovering the wick, said carrier together with said snufl'er being freely movable during the latter part of its movement away from covering position, said carrier having a portion extending towards the flint wheel and frlctionally engaging the periphery ofthe same for receiving an impulse therefrom when the snuifer is in covering position to start movement of the snuffer towards uncovering position, the snuffer and carrier thereafter moving freely under the momentum produced by said impulse to uncovering position, said snufier being movable to the side of its pivot remote from the wick, and a weight attached to said carrier to increase the momentum of the snuffer, to prevent rebound, and to hold it in wick uncovering position.

2. In a lighter, a wick, a flint, and a flint wheel for projecting sparks onto said wick, a snufler carrier comprising a resilient wire member, a snuffer attached to said wire carrier member, means for pivoting said carrier to the lighter on the opposite side of the wick from the flint wheel for movement of the snuffer between a position covering the wick and a position uncovering the I wick, a portion of said wire carrier member extending toward the flint wheel and frictionally engaging the same for receiving an impulse therefrom when the snuffer is in covering position to start movement of the snufier toward uncovering position, the snufler thereafter moving freely under the momentum produced by said impulse to uncovering position.

3. In a lighter. a wick, a flint and a flint wheel for projecting sparks onto said wick a snufler carrier comprising a resilient looped wire member having a bight and two substantially parallel arms, a snufler gripped between said arms. means for pivoting said carrier arms to the lighter on *the opposite side of the wick from the flint wheel for movement of the snufler between a position covering the wick and a position uncovering the wick, the bight portion of said looped wire carrier member extending toward the flint wheel and frictionally engaging the same for receiving an impulse therefrom when the snufler is in covering position to start movement Of the snuffer toward uncovering position, the snufler thereafter moving freely under the momentum produced by said impulse to uncovering position.

4. In a lighter, a wick. a flint and a flint wheel for projecting sparks onto said wick, a snufler carrier comprising a resilient member capable of buckling to some extent under longitudinal compression, a snufl'er attached to said carrier member, means for pivoting said carrier to the lighter on the opposite side of the wick from the flint wheel for movement of the snuffer between a position covering the wick and a position uncovering the wick, a portion of said carrier member extending toward the flint wheel and frictionally engaging the same for receiving an impulse therefrom when the snuffer is in covering position to start movement of the snuffer toward uncovering position, the muffler thereafter moving freely under the momentum produced by said impulse to uncovering position, the point of contact or said carrier portion with the wheel being on the side of a straight line connecting the center of the wheel and the center of rotation of the carrier, which is nearer the lighter, whereby the wheel serves to retain the carrier in wick covering position until actuated, whereupon the carrier is stressed and then released with a snap action toward open position.

' IRVING F'LORMAN. 

